Skipper’s briefing

All skippers have a responsibility to protect their crew and passengers. A pre-departure briefing is a vital part of the onboard safety protocol. These checklists will help guide you through briefing your passengers and crew.

Checklists

Briefing tips for the skipper
Who’s who
Safety on-board
Trip plans and navigation
General rules for safe boating
Using the facilities
Emergency planning

Briefing tips for the skipper

Never assume passengers understand boating terms or how to use equipment
Deliver the briefing calmly and concisely, in layman’s terms
Be serious but don’t scare your passengers
Encourage questions
Attendance should be compulsory
Keep under 20 minutes
Break the briefing into sections

Who's who

Find out the personal requirements of your passengers and crew

swimming ability
boating experience
mobility, medical and dietary requirements
history of seasickness
advise on warm clothes, hats and sunscreen

Establish the chain of command and introduce the second-in-command.

if you, as skipper, get injured or fall ill there must be someone aboard who can operate the vessel and/or communications systems and fire-fighting equipment

Explain and assign roles and responsibilities aboard your vessel

task parents or a responsible adult with the care of young or elderly passengers
if necessary, assign roles for handling marina lines, fenders or mooring apparatus
seek volunteers to assist with watch duties at the helm where visibility is impaired (night, fog) or on busy waterways

Safety on-board

Brief the crew on the use of lifejackets

show all crew where lifejackets (personal flotation devices or PFDs) are stored
explain the usage and function of lifejackets; have everybody practice putting one on
remind all occupants that they’re required to wear an approved PFD Level 100+ lifejacket when crossing a bar
children and poor swimmers should wear a PFD at all times. Assist them with fitting the jacket.

Run through a safety inventory

explain the vessel’s additional safety equipment to provide information and reassurance
all passengers should know where flares, fire extinguishers, bailing equipment and the emergency beacon (EPIRB) are located
all passengers should know the location and operation of seacocks

Tell passengers where the first-aid kit is stored
Prepare your communications chain of command

ensure that a responsible person/s knows the description of your boat, including name and registration number
familiarise them with use of the marine radio and mayday procedures, flares, distress sheet, EPIRB or advise them to call 000 on their mobile phone
advise on how to read the GPS position where applicable

Explain seating arrangements and allocate seating to suit vessel load
Advise passengers to remain safely seated, or to hold a handrail while standing and moving (especially aboard smaller vessels)
Detail potential hazards – boom, tripping, slipping, hatches, companionway steps
Remind people it is easy to lose their balance, fall overboard and cause serious harm if they are not aware of their surroundings
Operators of vessels fitted with a rear-vented exhaust should remind passengers and swimmers to avoid the rear deck and swim platform areas when engines are running
Point out the Australian Builder's Plate which details the maximum load capacity for the vessel

Trip plans and navigation

Tell passengers about your intended course and approximate duration
Explain the expected weather conditions, and provide updates if conditions are expected to change
Outline known hazards on your route such as bar crossings and promote early lifejacket usage

General rules for safe boating

Passengers don’t touch the helm, throttles or switches
Don’t lean overboard while underway
Don't sit on the bow
Don’t swim near propellers
Don’t use arms or legs to fend off
Don’t jump into a boat or pause with one foot on the boat and the other on shore
Don’t get fingers or clothing caught in winches, anchoring equipment or mainsheet traveller (yachts)
Alcohol, drugs and boating are a dangerous mix so establish rules and enforce them
Don’t throw rubbish overboard

Using on-board facilities

Ablutions – instruct passengers on the use of the marine head/s
Galley – if you have a galley outline the risks and precautions with gas bottles and taps
Hatches – outline the risks of opening & closing hatches
Water – remind passengers if using water to keep the showers short
Electricity – encourage passengers to conserve power where possible to protect the house batteries
Storage – items should be securely stowed to prevent movement

Emergency planning

Man Overboard Procedure – detail your plans for retrieval. Show passengers where buoyancy/retrieval aids are located, ie a lifering, danbuoy, lifejacket or even a cushion. Stipulate the need to maintain a constant watch on the person in the water and remain calm. Explain what to do if you fall overboard
Swamping or capsize – stress the need to remain with the boat for flotation and to assist search vessels/aircraft. Tell passengers to huddle together to reduce heat loss and avoid excessive physical exertion
Abandoning ship – if you have a liferaft, outline its location and launching protocols. Ensure that passengers know the location and contents of the distress grab bag
Manoeuvring – describe or demonstrate the method for starting, stopping and controlling the main engine. Show where and how to use the emergency tiller and location of the toolkit
Sickness – passengers who suffer motion illness become a liability if they attempt to vomit overboard. Offer them prevention strategies, medication aids or a bucket

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